Peshkova V.M. International Migration and Regional Inequalities in Russia: Statement of a Question. Issues of National and Federative Relations. 2022. Vol. 12. No. 12 (93). Pp. 4690-4706.

Abstract

The article attempts to determine the place and role of international migration in the context of regional inequalities in Russia. Namely, how international migration is problematized as important for the regional development. The text considers the change in the number of permanent population and the share of foreign immigrants in the working-age population by regions of Russia; dynamics of migration exchange with the CIS countries on the example of the Central Asian countries as sending of the majority of labor migrants. It is underlined that international migration affects not only the labor markets and the economy of the region, but also leads to greater or lesser complexity (depending on the initial ethnic and religious composition) of the ethno-cultural diversity of its population. It is concluded that the problematization of regional inequalities and international migration occurs in the following areas. First, there is an uneven distribution of different categories, depending on the composition and purpose, of foreign migrants by region. Secondly, there are different political and managerial practices in the field of socio-cultural adaptation and integration of foreign migrants. Thirdly, the attitudes to migration and to migrants have regional differences and depend on the number and density of settlement of migrants, their composition, and the level of socio-economic development as well as the actions of local authorities to satisfy the interests of both migrants and local residents. Each of these characteristics differs from region to region, and they should be considered in a complex and in the context of the conditions and development of a particular Russian region. The article attempts to determine the place and role of international migrationin the context of regional inequalities in Russia. Namely, how internationalmigration is problematized as important for the regional development. The textconsiders the change in the number of permanent population and the share offoreign immigrants in the working-age population by regions of Russia; dynamicsof migration exchange with the CIS countries on the example of the CentralAsian countries as sending of the majority of labor migrants. It is underlinedthat international migration affects not only the labor markets and the economyof the region, but also leads to greater or lesser complexity (depending onthe initial ethnic and religious composition) of the ethno-cultural diversity of itspopulation. It is concluded that the problematization of regional inequalities andinternational migration occurs in the following areas. First, there is an unevendistribution of different categories, depending on the composition and purpose,of foreign migrants by region. Secondly, there are different political and managerialpractices in the field of socio-cultural adaptation and integration of foreignmigrants. Thirdly, the attitudes to migration and to migrants have regional differencesand depend on the number and density of settlement of migrants, theircomposition, and the level of socio-economic development as well as the actionsof local authorities to satisfy the interests of both migrants and local residents.Each of these characteristics differs from region to region, and they should beconsidered in a complex and in the context of the conditions and development ofa particular Russian region.